Secular Citizen Vol.23 No.24 dated 16th June 2014 by Lawrence Coelho

16 June 2014

First Indian Origin Woman Lions Club Governor in US Chicago : Terry D'Souza created new history in the United States of America by being the first ever Indian origin woman Governor for Lions Clubs International. She is the charter member of The Forest Kala Sampath Lions Club which established in 1996. Terry was inducted by Past International Director Daniel Reilly on June 8, 2014 at the Crystal Sky Banquets here in McCook. District 1A - Mother District of Lionism today celebrated their new Governor's Installation and Cabinet Awards. Governor Dave Hansen thanked Cabinet Members those who walked an extra mile in helping this district to reach his goals for current Lionistic year. Terry being installed as the Governor of District 1A, Terry and her husband Dr. Austin Prabhu became the First 'Couple Governors' from this prestigious district of Lionism in the world. In her acceptance speech, Terry spread out her goals for the year - recognize, encourage, mentor and support the huge contribution made by District 1A - Mother District of Lionism's female members including young adults. Currently about 23% of District membership is of women. She would like to raise that number. She want to welcome and induct female and young adults into District 1A clubs and it will be like injecting District with fresh ideas and new energy. Of course she said that this will not take anything away from current

male counterparts that have carried this district many years but she will encourage women to seek and serve in leadership roles and working side by side with male members which will be beneficial for the District. Terry created a 10 member Governor's Advisory Board consists of Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Treasurer, Global Leadership Team, Global Membership Team, 4 Past District Governors and finance committee chair to monitor, administer, communicate, encourage, mentor and support her goals for the coming year. During this event First Vice District Governor Ralph Zarada, Second Vice District Governor Ernie Lapid, Lions of Illinois Foundation Trustee Frank Kirar, District 1A VOICES, a 501-C3 humanitarian association, (Volunteery Organizations Involved in Charitable Expression of Service) newly elected Directors - Dave Hansen, Dennis McMillan and Jeff White were also installed. Incoming Governor Terry D'Souza and Immediate Past District Governor Dr. Austin Prabhu gave a Lion Frame as a gift to Governor Dave Hansen and also $760 collection from Cabinet Members.

Japan's Catholics Ignore Church On Birth Control, Say Bishops Japan: The Catholic bishops of Japan have acknowledged that the faithful are largely ignorant of Church teaching on marriage, and indifferent to Catholic stands. In a response to the questionnaire circulated by the Vatican in preparation for the Synod of Bishops, the Japanese bishops reported that Catholics in their country “are more influenced by societal norms” than by Church teachings, “especially where birth control is concerned.” The Christian conception of marriage based on natural law “is not generally understood nor is it accepted.”

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‘Thought for the week’

When you have clarity of your destination, you lead yourself. You do not let other people, events or situations to lead you.

Contents pg. 3 - Things You Must Consider Before Choosing Your College pg 4 - Good Porn, Bad Porn and ... pg. 5 - Views on News pg. 6 - Reader's Views pg. 8 - Ex-communication or ... pg 9 - Narendra Modi's Calculated Risk in Northeast pg 10 - Reader's Views pg 12 - Khanna's Kitchen pg 13 - Ladi Pavs of Mumbai pg 14 - King of Good Nuts pg 17 - How to Stop Arguing? pg 18 - Smile Each Moment pg 19 - Inspiration! pg 20 - Matrimonials pg 22 - St. Anthony of Paduva ...

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Things You Must Consider Before Choosing Your College by Mayank Jain

The board results are out and after multiple trolls on the topper, it is time for you all to give a concerted thought to the admission process which has already begun (or already over). Your scores are here and you know what you want to pursue; but the important point is choosing a college from the options that you have. Before you go for the college that advertises the most on radio or the one which serves ‘the best noodles in town’, consider these points and make an informed decision: 1. Teaching Faculty: Presumably, the major reason you are going to college is to graduate with a degree in the discipline of your choice. Hence, it goes without saying that the most emphasis should be laid on the teaching quality of the college. Research at your level over the internet or visit the colleges if you have to, but make sure you go to a college with a respectable quality of teaching imparted and no major lack of libraries and equipments to support it. The best way to determine this is to hunt down alumni of the college and ask them about it. They have been there and done that. 2. Extra-Curricular Activities: Now that you have satisfied yourself with the quality of education, it is time to look beyond and check out the opportunities for extracurricular activities in the college. A college is the place you will spend most crucial years of your overall grooming and the more experiences you have, the better. Consider the quality and frequency of the events a college organizes and research about its societies. You don’t want to end up in a college that feels like school. 3. Proximity: The good thing about college is that it is one place you don’t want to miss. Even if you miss the classes, there’s so much in the college to do that you would go there religiously, no matter if it is at 2 PM in the afternoon. An important factor for you to consider before choosing one is the distance of the college from your residence. Choose a college which is at a reasonable distance from your home so that you don’t feel like you changed hemispheres when you commute every day. It will save you both money, and time. (Contd.. on p. 4)

(Contd.. from p. 3) 4. Infrastructure: A college of the 21st century should not look like a relic from the 1900s. Give a considerable weightage to the college infrastructure when you hunt for the place you are going to study for the next 3 (or more) years. A strong enough college building that houses at least basic amenities and equipments is a must. Nobody likes to go to a smelly college or the one which is dangerous during rains. 5. Courses: You might have chosen the most snazzy college in the city with all the right things in place but you shouldn’t end up studying something completely irrelevant there. A degree in a relevant discipline should be your first priority and always consider the courses a college is offering and determine if it fits your future plans or not. Don’t compromise with the course you want to pursue for the want of a better college or you will have 3 good years possibly followed by multiple bad ones, full of regret. 6. Fee: A college is the place to get education and not increase your debts. Consider the amount of money you will have to shell out in the name of ‘development funds’ and the likes of it, before signing that admission form. It is advisable to inquire about the fee of all the years of your course before taking admission since the college might give you steep surprises as you move to the next year. 7. Placements: We all study for a reason (or in the hope to find one). If you are looking for a job after you finish your course, it is recommended that you choose a college with some record of placements after graduation. Most of the colleges have placement and career development cells these days and you can directly contact them to inquire about the opportunities available after you are done with your course. A great course from a respectable college amounts to too less if you have no interviews lined up when you graduate. •

Good Porn, Bad Porn And The Culture Of Ban by Amit Kumar

here has been an upsurge in the opinion amongst ordinary people and legal experts about the criminal impact of porn on people’s psyche in general and the youngsters in particular, with an increased reporting on crimes against women and children recently. A thought which comes to mind after reading these lines is that the real culprit behind these crimes must be porn. A PIL was filed in April, 2014 in the Supreme Court which sought, among others things, a specific law on pornography; and to make watching of porn videos as a non-bailable and cognisable offence. Serious concerns have been raised in the PIL about free availability of porn on the internet, its impact on people, violence against women etc. and the Court issued notice to the Central Government and the government replied by saying, “Blocking porn sites would cause greater harm”[1]. Without getting into the legal nitty-gritty of the PIL , the issue at hand is whether we will develop a scientific response to such issues or go by tittle-tattle. It is beyond the scope of this article to explore the scientific relationship between porn and crime and that there is no such conclusive study available or done to establish the same. The article in no way tries to promote insensitivity about crimes against women and children, and is an attempt to understand ways in which the term, ‘Porn’ is defined, used and misused. Definition of Porn according to Oxford Dictionary is, “Printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate sexual excitement. Synonym of Porn includes words like erotica”[2]. On one hand, we have the much stigmatized porn, and on the other, the artistic erotica finding a place in the literary works and part of mainstream culture. There can be any number of opinions for and against porn

and the divide results from the way we define it. So, let’s start by asking a simple question, what constitutes porn? A cursory look at the above gives a standard definition of porn but leaves so many questions unanswered. For instance, a consenting adult couple indulging in sexual activity uses printed/visual material (Vatsyayana’s Kama Sutra) to heighten sexual excitement. Under which category will we place such an activity, porn or erotica? Another example can be of a married couple indulging in sex and recording their act to watch it later for purely private purposes. Would it be termed porn and thus stigmatized or will it be passed in the name of private affairs of two consenting married adults enjoying their marriage life. What kind of criminal tendencies will it generate in such cases? “Porn is vital to freedom“, says Rushdie. In an extract from his essay, The East is Blue; Rushdie implies that Muslims are avid consumers of pornography because of the segregation of the sexes[3]. This is not just true for Muslims but for all the people around the world. With no sex education allowed in the schools in India and parents trying their best to avoid and suppress any information relating to the word sex, the youngsters turn towards peers and all possible sources to understand the psychological, biological changes that their bodies go through. This might result in gaining wrong information about their own bodies, unacceptable sexual behaviours etc. If proper guidance can be made available to our youngsters, if free mixing of both the sexes is allowed without any prejudice or bias, then it might change the way we tend to perceive porn or pornographic literature. India has, according to studies reported in Firstpost, some of the highest rates of sexual crimes against children in the world: in 2007, 53% of (Contd.. on p. 18)

16 June 2014

One Constituency One Candidate The Representation of Peoples Act 1951 does not place any bar on a candidate contesting from more than one constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. This was witnessed in the just concluded elections too. Narendra Modi and Mulayam Singh Yadav are two prominent leaders who chose to do just that. These two, won four seats between them. You ask people to vote for you and when they do, you tell them you do not want to represent them. You are actually ditching them – an insult if you ask me. It may be too harsh to say that it is a mockery of those who support you. One seat is required to be surrendered necessitating a by-election which will involve huge expenses for going through the exercise all over again. All the candidates in the reelection will have to incur a lot of expenses for campaigning and other incidentals. Is this fair? Modi chose to give up his Baroda seat which he won with record breaking margin. Retaining Varanasi was a well considered move since it is the seat of Hindu religion. He has a bigger stake there to finally wrest the State from the Samajwadi Party in the next State elections. This dual candidature thing needs to be revisited for suitable change. Actually, only those genuinely residing in the constituency [like Rajya Sabha ] should qualify to contest. Who would know the problems of the area better than a bonafide resident? By the way, can we have some basic educational qualifications too? Why does one have to stand from two constituencies in the first place? Is the leader so insecure, lacking confidence? If so, he should not stand for elections in the first place. He is depriving a genuine local leader [from his party] from contesting. This goes against the basic spirit of democracy. State funding is one issue that is being debated for years with no tangible proposal being put forward to start a national debate on this very important subject. Money power has contaminated the entire election process. The BJP always taunted the UPA for not taking the initiative on the subject. Now that they are in power and with a handsome majority, let them start the process. If they fail to do that,

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VIEWS on NEWS it will mean that they too are not really serious about the issue. With hundreds of crores ‘coming’ [really?] to the big parties in accounted form [only above Rs 20000 declared] they are at an advantage. It is necessary to make it compulsory to disclose the names of all donors above Rs 1000. As it stands now, these funds are highly suspect and there is a lot of substance in this suspicion. No wonder, political parties are unwilling to come under the RTI Act. Expenses incurred by a political party for its candidate are not clubbed with what the candidate himself spends on election campaign. This loophole is exploited to far exceed the ceiling fixed by the Election Commission [EC]. Independent candidates are at a disadvantage. There is no level playing field for them. No wonder ‘Independents’ are a dwindling species of late. This anomaly needs to be set in order in all fairness. Pending public funding of elections, we can have a modified version of it to begin with. As it is, Corporates are allowed to donate funds to political parties legally which can continue. In the coming budget, allow Corporates as well as individuals to donate funds to the Election Commission and allow 100% tax exemption for such contributions with a ceiling, if necessary. These funds can be utilized by the EC to conduct the elections which are a huge burden on the exchequer otherwise. *****

Pawar – The Shrewdest Politician It will not be an exaggeration to say that if there is one politician who can be safely termed as the shrewdest guy in the business; it must undoubtedly be Sharad Pawar of the NCP. He has been in politics for decades and has the uncanny knack of visualizing the future. Once he is sure of the likely turn of events, he shifts his gears accordingly to suit the given situation. He has a back up plan as well in case things do not go as expected. He was the first man to declare that he is out of the electoral politics but would like to be in the loop via the Rajya Sabha route to keep that remote option

by Marshall Sequeira of a possible third front which he could possibly lead if there was no consensus. Once Manmohan Singh opted out of the race for Prime Ministership, Pawar knew what he had to do. If the UPA came to power [miraculously, if at all] Rahul Gandhi would be the choice for PM and he did not want to work under him having called him immature. Besides Pawar is too senior a man to work under him. Alternately, with NDA winning, the post of Leader of Opposition [LOP] would naturally go to Rahul Gandhi. Again in that case, Pawar would have been ‘technically’ under Rahul. Rajya Sabha was therefore a safer option. If Pawar was really unhappy with the Congress, why did he stick with the UPA? He cannot win anything on his own. He needs props but at the same time is not comfortable in being subservient. Pawar is a spent force and with his MPs fitting in a Nano, his clout is over. After the election results were out, he was quick to blame the Congress for all the ills. He complained that the coalition partners were not given importance and all decisions were taken without consultation. By saying so, he admits that NCP role in the coalition was only ornamental. This is a clever ploy. NCP does this every time it loses. The State elections are coming close and it needs a handle to negotiate [or even blackmail] when it comes to seat sharing. This, NCP did before the general elections too. It is reported that Sharad Pawar may be projected as CM to counter the two Senas. It is like someone aspiring to take over as a CMD of a Corporate agrees to settle for a Branch Manager’s position. That would be a sad day for a man of his stature and political astuteness. Maybe he feels something is better than nothing. Perhaps the move is aimed at pre-empting Ajit Pawar. But in all probability, Ajit Pawar will take control and edge out both his uncle and his daughter - Supriya Sule.

Celibacy, Chastity and Charity It had been reported by Pope Francis regarding ‘Clerical Celibacy’: “it is a rule of life that I appreciate very much, but since it is not a dogma, the door is always open”. This does not mean that ‘Clerical Celibacy’ is to be jettisoned. However, by following the example of Christ and St Paul, those who have taken the vow of chastity are bound to be spiritually and physically strengthened. St Paul convincingly argues that the unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world and how to please his wife and his interests are thus divided…” (1 Corinthians 7:32-34) The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) also highly recommends: “Called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to ‘the affairs of the Lord’ they give themselves entirely to God and to men. Celibacy is the sign of this new life to the service of which the church’s minister is consecrated and accepts with a joyous heart this celibacy radiantly proclaiming the Reign of God (CCC:1579). In furthering this goal, priests especially like Fr Cedric Prakash and the CBCI and also men and women work and struggle for human rights , justice and peace—(Social Charity—see below). The Church and Laity also highly treasure holy and prayerful priests and religious women, and venerate them as “they venerate the Scriptures and the Lord’s body” (CCC: 103). In giving themselves wholly to humanity they also operate orphanages, educational institu-

tions, hostels and proclaim Jesus Christ to the masses. They also combat corruption and bad governance all ‘for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:12).

—Dr Trevor Colaso

A tale of two ‘Georges’ – ‘Right place, wrong time’ – Secular Citizen June 02, 2014 In his inimitable style, George Menezes has lucidly described his stint with the BJP. It is evident that the BJP selectively inducted him and afforded him VIP treatment. Had he remained in the BJP, he would have been riding on the crest of the BJP electoral victory. He claims cold shouldering treatment form parishioners. ‘For even His (Jesus’) brothers did not believe in Him.’ (John 7:5). He had reportedly resigned because of the Babri Masjid demolition. Is the electorate who voted the BJP into power supportive of the Babri Masjid demolition? In sharp contrast,

former Railway Minister George Fernandes was harassed time and again by the Government and the politicians. George Fernandes was on the run, allegedly because of the gunpowder plot. After he became President of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF), he conducted the All India Railway Strike in 1974. Earlier, in 1973, he had broken the strike of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA). This led to a decade of hardships, scouring the various Court cases across the country. George Fernandes was detained under MISA. I was imprisoned in the 1974 Railway strike. After the strike, George Fernandes was debarred from contesting the President ship of the AIRF. He started his own union, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). AT his inaugural meeting, as AILRSA activists, we reminded him that as per International convention, no Trade Union ((TU) breaks the strike of another TU. He replied that he was new to the Railways, and did not know us, but relied on his advisors. However, he pledged to support us in future. He fulfilled his pledge as Union Railway Minister and gave us VIP treatment. Once when addressing a Catholic organization, George Fernandes said, “Your youth are naturally talented and do not require Reservations. The problem is that you are afraid to dirty your hands. I have spent decades in politics. No one bothered to ask me about my religion. Do not be afraid to dirty your hands.’ It is time the Church echelon and media turn away from corporate governance and use practical mindsets to steer the priests and laity in running the Parish Pastoral Councils (PPCs). The PPCs should mandatorily submit monthly Civic & Political Cell (CPC) and Parish Youth Cell (PYC) reports highlighting socio- political awareness about the current situation, including the approx. 6% Current account Deficit (CAD) of about $ US22 billion, a Damocletan Sword, hanging over the heads of the citizens.

—Denis Khan

16 June 2014

Salesian University Launches Masters In Convergent Media Guwahati: A university in northeast India is launching for the first time an MA degree program in Convergent Media and Technologies for the new generation of social media users. The six-year-old Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) in Guwahati, Assam, claims the course starting in July is “one of its kind post graduate degree program in backpack journalism to prepare citizen journalists.” “In our technology dominated world, the professions are multitasked and require one to be an expert in more than one narrow specialism,” says Head of Mass Communication Department Fr C.M. Paul. The Salesian priest noted greater demands on modern media persons to become a producer, a director, a cameo actor, a scriptwriter, a copywriter, a video/audio editor, a PR campaigner, a cameraman, a journalist and even an advocacy enthusiast. “The program,” says Fr Paul, “is designed to equip one with a thorough knowledge of the entire media spec-

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trum from journalism to video production, traditional to mobile media, the gamut of social media, citizen journalism, development communication and the world of public relations.” “For those who are not so social media savvy,” suggests Fr Paul, “there is another world out there for critical commentators to keep a tab on the ways in which media reflects, represents and influences the world.” The post graduate degree program takes students through hands on exercises in the glamour of the adver-

tising gimmicks, the way a news story gathers steam, and help students try their hands at getting a film from script to screen, and cause waves. “The media platforms – Blog, Vlog, Twitter, YouTube, Podcast, FacBook and other social media networks are so varied, pervasive, influential and fast changing that it is a continuous challenge to keep pace with the latest trends in media-related industries,” tells Fr Paul, former editor of the oldest Catholic weekly in India The Herald from Calcutta (established in 1839) explaining what motivated his team in putting together the challenging syllabus. Admissions open for candidates with graduation in any stream with a minimum 50 percent in the aggregate. Applicants will have entrance test and interview on July 26 at ADBU’s Azara campus in Guwahati, and selected candidates will start classes on July 31.

Ex-communication Or In-Communication? (Contd.. from last issue) Firstly, what is the need for us laity to assume or usurp the role and function of priests? We don’t need them, nor their permission, for an agape (fellowship), or for private prayer meetings/ gatherings. There is no doubt that the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are a source of grace. But God’s grace and presence are not limited to the Eucharist. There are several other ways through which God is present – in the Word, in the gathering of 2 or 3 in his name, in our inner being, in our service to the least of the brethren etc. A quote from the “Dogmatic Constitution of the Church” would be apt. “The distinction which the Lord made between sacred ministers and the rest of the People of God entails a unifying purpose, since pastors and the other faithful are bound to each other by a mutual need” (LG No 32). I have highlighted the key words. Here again I will use an analogy to make my point. God made us male and female. We are in certain ways different, but nevertheless complementary and compatible. It is precisely the difference that attracts, unifies and binds us together, as we feel the need for each other. No analogy is perfect, but I do believe that when priests live or behave like the laity, or vice versa, then the attraction and bonding break down. Hence I see no need for us laity to try and imitate or substitute the priests. Let us recognize our own specific vocation in the vast arena of temporal affairs, while at the same time fulfilling our prophetic office within the Church. I do not see the two as being mutually exclusive. My second point is also a curative one. As an organizer I always emphasized, “Communication is the lifeline of an organization”. As a marriage counselor I have also repeatedly stressed, “Communication is the key to a successful marriage”. This is where the problem lies. Vatican II ushered in a dialoguing church – with the laity, other churches, other religions, the sciences etc. However, as already observed, and prevalent worldwide, the Catholic

hierarchy/ clergy are wary of reads an arrested person out dialogue (perhaps because his rights. Unfortunately, the of their own inherent insecuCatholic Church has not yet rity or inadequacy), and are evolved to that level of demogradually withdrawing into cratic functioning. Hence the their pre-Vatican II shells, or laity will have to learn the hard fortified positions. It is pre- BY CHHOTEBHAI way. cisely this insecure and deThe second avenue fensive mindset that Pope open to the laity is its organiFrancis is seeking to change. Open- zation. We know that unity is strength. minded bishops and enlightened laity We need to build up more and more lay must engage in open dialogue. Reli- organizations. The third avenue is the gion today is no longer a one-way media – print, electronic and social. We street (ein bahn in German). Several need to use them to the hilt, to drive current church traditions, including a home our message, and to restore celibate clergy and modern seminary parity in a clerically dominated church. formation, are relatively recent phe- As a last recourse we also have our civil nomena; not rooted in scripture or ap- rights, which would vary from country ostolic times. Faith, like love, can never to country. For example, in India our be static. It keeps evolving. Vatican II Constitution guarantees the right to was the greatest step in the evolution of freedom of speech, and of gathering an entirely new ecclesiology. together. We know that the hierarchical esThe top end of the spectrum may tablishment is a potent force. We also be ex-communication; but the bottom know that huge churches, cathedrals line lies in communication. If we love and monasteries in Europe are now our Church as an expression of Jesus’ empty showpieces – for camera toting, presence, then all of us must pursue bus riding tourists, especially from non- the path of dialogue. Ex-communicaChristian Asian countries like Japan. If tion is not the solution. Being in-comthe hierarchy, ostrich like, continues to munication is. bury its head in the sand, then the sands of time will wash them away. * The writer is a former National PresiWhat should the laity do against a dent of the All India Catholic Union, and “formidable opponent”, to use a worldly former Director of the International expression? Firstly, we are not an op- Council of Catholic Men. position, as in a parliamentary democracy. We are more like spouses in a marriage. Hence we need to assert our rights. If women today have asserted their rights it is not because they oppose men, but because certain injustices and imbalances that have accrued over time needed to be rectified. In like manner the laity needs to exercise its rights. How? Firstly, by knowing their rights as Shop No.1, Saint Bridget’s provided for in Vatican II documents Enclave, Vakola Bridge, and Canon Law. Subaltern leaders have Santacruz East, always stressed that knowledge is the greatest weapon against oppression. Mumbai - 400 055 Sadly, the laity is woefully lacking in its knowledge of church teachings. Let us NEETA TARIBAGIL / no longer wait for somebody to teach MINAL PATEL us, we have to do it ourselves. In some 9867319632 / 9920088056 western democracies the police first

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16 June 2014

Narendra Modi’s Calculated Risk In Northeast by: Nirendra Dev

he Ministry of Department of North East Region (DoNER) was created in 2001 during the stint of Atal Behari Vajpayee by taking out the ‘north east cell’ from the Home Ministry. It was to function as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socioeconomic development of the eight states of the North-east. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) is responsible for all matters relating to the planning, execution and monitoring of development schemes and projects of the eight states. Vajpayee had visionary plans about the northeast and thus had initially entrusted the portfolio to a known performer, Arun Shourie. On his part Shourie started on a business-like note and had even organized a North East Summit, where he called all governors and chief ministers to Mumbai and tried to induce industry captains to invest in the North-east by offering a bonanza of initiatives. However, Vajpayee failed to keep up the momentum, as the DoNER portfolio was later on passed on a few wellknown non-performers. Under the United Progressive Alliance, or UPA, despite the fact that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was an elected member from Assam, the DoNER almost lost its relevance. The second Administrative Reforms Commission had even recommended DONER’s abolition and relegating all its responsibilities to Ministry of Home Affairs. In such an event, it would have been back to the proverbial square one as for decades the North-east was handled by the ministry of Home Affairs, with overwhelming focus on security issues. But new Prime Minister Narendra Modi,

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Modi’s emphasis on taking the neighboring countries of South Asia into the strategy planning for resolving the problems of the Northeast is both unconventional and a path-breaking move. by handing the DoNER ministry to someone like Gen (Retd) V K Singh, has indicated that he intends to strike a balance between development, security and persuasive diplomacy with neighbors in addressing the issues and problems of North-east India. Modi, adopting an out-of-the-box approach, has also made the retired general a minister of state of External Affairs under Sushma Swaraj. Modi’s emphasis on taking the neighboring countries of South Asia into the strategy planning for resolving the problems of the North-east is both unconventional and a path-breaking move. The retired general will be expected to display some persuasive skills with neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal in resolving many of the issues of the region (many Indian ultra groups are sheltering in these countries). In fact, the word on the grapevine was that the post was originally planned for outgoing Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, with whom BJP leaders such as Rajnath Singh have earlier spoken at length on working closely with Myanmar. On his part, Rio could be still hoping to get a ministerial berth in the next round of the Modi government’s expansion.

priority areas for the government,” he told this writer minutes after taking charge. “I have a plan for overall development of the North-east. We will try our best to address all the problems facing the region. There is tremendous amount of work to be done for the region,” said the 63-year-old, who served also as GoC-In-C Eastern Command. On the flip side, for many northeasterners, Gen Singh may not be seen as the right choice to handle such a complex responsibility. For many in the North-east, the Indian military is seen as an instrument of oppression, used by the Delhi establishment to repress all local aspirations. But like his inviting SAARC leaders to his swearing-in, Prime Minister Modi has taken a calculated risk here in appointing such a pugnacious and nononsense former military chief to turn around a mostly moribund ministry. (The writer is a Special Representative with The Statesman in New Delhi and author of the book ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’.)

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“Teachers to write to Pope, about dues”

Former Principal, St. Andrew’s College, Bandra (West).

This is with reference to the news “Teachers to write to Pope, about dues”, in the TOI dt. 24th May, 2014. It is shocking that teachers in the Archdiocese of Bombay are denied their legitimate right to receive salary as per the scale and arrears thereon. As per the affiliation rules, it is the duty of the management to pay the salaries of the teaching and non-teaching staff as per the norms laid down by the government. The argument that schools are located in the poor areas holds no water. Catholic educational institutions are established to impart education, primarily to catholics but not exclusively. The catholic church in Mumbai has done a remarkably wonderful job by having a school in almost all the parishes. In fact I would say it has over done its job, as in many of the catholic schools, the strength of catholic students is abysmally low. Let us take the case of Bandra, where there are more schools than churches/parishes. But the strength of catholic students in every school except one is below 5%. It is highly laudable that the Bombay Diocese has taken upon itself to educate its children, irrespective of caste and creed, but certainly not at the cost of teachers. Education and health, inter alia are the important criteria of judging human development. The catholic church is doing a remarkable job in these areas. Having taken upon itself this noble task of imparting education, it is the responsibility of the Diocese to mobilise enough

According to recent newspaper reports, the bones of around 800 children were found buried in the nun’s septic tank at a defunct church-run Irish orphanage in Galway, western Ireland. Most of them were babies and toddlers who died due to sickness, disease, malnutrition and neglect. This clearly underscores the double standards prevailing in the predominantly Catholic country of Ireland. Only recently there were massive protests organized by the Pro-life lobby, when over 15,000 pro-life activists marched through the streets of Ireland protesting against the new abortion law which came into force on July 30, 2013, that permits abortion under limited circumstances. If according to the church’s moral law, human life is precious and has to be protected from the time of conception till the time of birth, then it also becomes mandatory and the moral obligation to look after and protect the lives of new-born babies and children. This raises the question as to how hundreds of babies and toddlers died in the church-run orphanage, due to sickness , disease, malnutrition and neglect , and were later dumped into the septic tank instead of a decent burial. Besides being a case of criminal negligence and cruelty, do we also have 2 sets of moral law for the unborn and the newly born?.

Pro-life Lobby Under fire

resources to implement it. Though each parish/school is legally a separate Trust (under a single trustee !!), for all practical purposes, all of them are under one umbrella of the Archdiocese of Bombay. The catholic church in Mumbai has enough income which it receives from parishes (Two Sunday collections in a month), money collected by renting out premises for film shootings, weddings and other functions, from newly initiated ‘community development fund’ and other sources. Adding all this together, the church should have enough funds to support the ‘poor area’ schools, unless like the government, it enjoys to have deficit budget. If the Diocese cannot financially manage all the existing schools , it is high time it closes down the unviable institutions, after the staff is paid their dues in full. Let us hope and pray, that our Cardinal, who is one of the advisors to the Pope, finds some time during his busy schedule to settle problems in his own constituency and not leave it to the poor Pope, who as it is, is burdened with innumerable problems of the church, including that of the clergy.

—A. D. Mascarenhas,

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16 June 2014

Catholic Syrian Bank Looks To Revamp

hrissur-based Catholic Syrian Bank is gearing up to shed its leisurely, localized and old-generation profile, to catch up with peers ahead of its maiden public offering, scheduled by the end of the year. It is one of the country's few commercial banks yet to be listed on the stock exchanges. Following the investment from Yusuffali M A, chief of the Dubai-based LuLu Group, who took 4.99 per cent stake early last year, a new team was installed. It is headed by Rakesh Bhatia, who came from Hong Kong & Sanghai Banking Corporation. Bhatia, in the past few months, has set up a team of senior bankers from foreign lenders such as HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Bhatia will have to improve CSB's financial parameters significantly to draw investor attraction for the Rs 300crore initial public offering. First on his list is to improve the performance of the branches, most of

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which are not making a profit. For this, he is banking on Bharath Mani, who came from RBS and now heads the retail operations at CSB. Mani’s responsibility is not only to improve the branch performance and expand business in other states but to take a re-look at the branding. "Our branches are more of administrative centres than business growth centres. To expand the business, Catholic Syrian also plans to strengthen its position in the four key states it operates in — Kerala, Karnataka, Tami Nadu and Maharashtra. Mani was a key member of RBS

who oversaw the transaction with another old-generation lender, the Kohlapur-based Ratnakar Bank (now RBL Bank), when the latter acquired the retail business from the foreign lender The bank will aim for more current and savings account deposits (Casa), by opening more branches. At present, the bank’s Casa is 19 per cent of total deposits. Growing of revenues will also help the bank reduce its cost. “We have to address the cost to income ratio from a revenue perspective and we are focusing on growing other interest income,” said Bhatia. The Banks name is linked to the fact that some 30 Catholic families, backed by the Syro-Malabar Church, set up the bank in Thrissur in November 1920 to support Christian businesses in the city. As shared holders sold their stakes, the Church and the Christians lost controlling positions of the bank. In 2010, reports said the archdiocese of Trichur abandoned efforts to take over the bank.

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16 June 2014

Khanna’s Kitchen! BY VERA ALVARES two traditional dishes out of existence. I was sorely disappointed because there was no visual of the glorious appams and chicken curry served on a banana leaf as Kotian’s wife must have done. It irks the viewers who treasure their secret recipes and consider it an insult to the food and people of this land. While in the Far East they train monkeys to scramble up a palm tree to pluck coconuts on the Konkan coast

ndia is the flavour of the decade! Scores of culinary experts from alien shores are flocking to taste and trade India’s rich and diverse gastronomic delights. Not having experienced the sweet, sour and bitter memories of a childhood spent in stealing guavas, stoning mangoes, relishing grandmother’s savouries, they lack the passion for our earthy flavours and fragrances. Surfing channels on television reveals just the tip of this iceberg which pours cold water on the enthusiasm of devoted family cooks. When the massacre of our traditional dishes became painful to watch, some old-fashioned foodies like me came together and formed a ‘Rashtriya Swayampaak Sena’ ( RSS) and this is the first among our many news and views. Besides bristling at the use of Rambuthan in chicken masala and Kumquat in mutton xacuti, we also work at mastering the art of cooking! Join us if you share our feelings! The scanty drizzle that morning could barely quench the thirsty earth, causing it to warm up further sending the temperatures soaring. To take my mind off the clawing heat I switched on the television and surfed through the travel channels till I suddenly caught sight of the suave, sophisticated chef from New York, on a ‘journey to India’ stuck on the middle of the coconut tree, in rural Konkan! Heat and sweat forgotten I giggled with glee at the predicament of this Michelin Star chef who probably had never seen a coconut tree in his life….. Ah, ‘this is fun, let’s see if he is rescued’……I told myself gently lowering myself into the comfortable recliner, ready for a long encounter with the chef and his twisting techniques. For some time now the RSS club mem-

bers had watched him flaunt his fluency in twisting the Indian traditional dishes like Xacuti, puranpoli, kori-rotti etc. in a desperate attempt to produce a signature dish of his own. Despite his your tousled hair and impish smile we could not let him murder our flavours, products of centuries of smoky kitchens. We passed the judgement that he was all of branded clothes, boyish charm and nothing more! Was I happy to see him stuck on the coconut tree in the middle of nowhere and hoping that one more twisting session had met with an untimely death? Nevertheless I sat glued to the idiot box to watch the show. A scene from rural Karnataka unfolded in all its grandeur, a beautiful stone structure with quaint windows surrounded by vast tracts of green, grassy land. It was the home of Naveen Kotian and his family. As I watched, Naveen Kotian the toddy-tapper descended from the top of the coconut tree with a pot of fresh toddy, that heavenly brew that gives not only a fluffy touch to our dosa-sanna-appam but also lends a divine flavour to the ‘poli’! The chef partook of just a morsel of the appams and chicken curry served by the toddy-tapper’s wife, sitting across Kotian who was beaming with pride and joy. But the chef’s smile had a faraway look as though he was already in his own kitchen happily twisting the

the hereditary profession of toddy-tapping is preserved with much dignity. This is rural India, THE India where peace and contentment reign supreme among communities that live off the produce of the land. It brought a deep feeling of nostalgia and made me so home sick for those childhood days spent amidst fields, vegetable gardens, coconut groves and melon orchards on the banks of a river during the height of summer! This is blatant self-promotion while exploiting the vulnerable folk ready to accommodate the strangers as best as they can. As for us RSS members, struggling to preserve our traditional food culture is hard enough with grandchildren preferring pasta to puranpoli and croquets to curry. But watching chefs turning appams into ‘rice mousse’ is a hard morsel to swallow!

16 June 2014

Ladi Pavs of Mumbai Description Ladi pav is a common food item in Mumbai and is used in many recipes, especially roadside snacks. As the name suggests, it comprises of three or four rows of pav or bread merged together, arranged in slabs or "ladi". It is soft bread, arranged in two contrasting colours. The upper area is creamy brown in colour and the lower section is creamy white and less fluffy compared to the upper section. It tastes like sliced or loaf bread. The main ingredient is maida or refined wheat flour. Other ingredients include salt, water, yeast, stabilizers and preservatives.

Whole-wheat Ladi Pav These are bun breads made with whole-wheat flour instead of refined wheat flour. They are brown in colour outside as well as inside, but as fluffy as the white bread. Nutritionally, it is much better as it contains a lot of fibre, which is absent in the maida-based ladi pav. Diabetics as well as those who are on a weight loss plan should prefer this variety. It is not commonly available in the market, but you can place a special order with your baker or grocer. Some people also supply homemade whole-wheat ladi pav.

sliced pav brushed with garlic chutney. • Dabeli, also known as double roti, is a favourite Gujarati snack, wherein a filling of raw banana or potato is placed between pav along with masalas and chutneys. • You can also make quick and tasty Masala Pav by frying ladi pav in butter, with a dash of spices and lime. • Cut the pav into six or seven square pieces and sauté it in a little hot oil. Add salt and other spices and make a delicious

How to select • Ladi pav is available in the supermarket in different pack sizes. If the pav is big, there are usually six merged together; and if it is regular size, then it is eight pav merged together. You will generally find them packed in polythene bags, without any brand name or labels as they are sourced from local bakeries. • At a bakery, always ask for freshlybaked bun or ladi pav. • If buying from a supermarket, check the date of packaging before buying. • You can also try smelling the bread smell for its freshness. • Stale breads are mouldy and

16 June 2014

discoloured and should never be consumed.

Culinary Uses • Ladi pav is a very common accompaniment, especially in Mumbai. • Ladi pav shallow-fried in butter is served as an accompaniment to steaming hot and spicy bhaji, in the case of the ever-popular Pav Bhaji. • Another favourite, Wada Pav, is a delicious and spicy Maharashtrian snack, wherein a deep-fried potatobased wada is sandwiched between

snack. • Ladi Pav can also be used in burgers, instead of burger buns.

Health Benefits • Since it is made of maida or refined wheat flour, it is high in simple carbohydrates, which provide energy to the body • As it usually accompanies a veggie dish, you get all the nutrition you need through these. • There is a little amount of protein also present in ladi pav.

The King Of Good Nuts

angalore is of course best known for its IT sector, which is a cause of anxiety even for U.S. President Obama who keeps raising the bogey of Bangalore snatching jobs from the U.S. Bangalore is also

King â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the king of nuts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; coconuts. He has, over the last 40 years, been instrumental in bringing about a relatively unsung revolution in the production of coconuts and its various by products. Meet the unassuming David J. Lobo

tag?). Lobo has also started the Bridge Foundation for micro enterprise development, and is the co-founder of the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, a lay initiative. It is a non-profit organization that is

David J. Lobo known for the Kind of Good Times â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no prizes for guessing who that Kingfisher is! You will have seen his cricketers, if not his calendar girls! Bangalore is home to another

(see pic), the Chairman of the Deejay rated among the top 20 management Group; that has stakes in coconut breed- colleges in India. ing, agriculture, aquaculture, Processed The coconut story makes sense Foods and Information Technology (how when we first understand that over can one live in Bangalore without the IT

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(Contd.. from p. 14) 90% of the world’s coconut growers are small or marginalized farmers. This has been a determining factor in Lobo’s growth plan. His business mantra is “A sale is not complete until the farmer receives the anticipated benefits “. The Deejay Group has received several Central and State awards for productivity and rural development, including from the National Productivity Council of India. Yet Lobo believes that his only “profit is and must be the legitimate reward for service rendered to society”. Just look at some of the case studies of how Deejay has transformed lives. Take T.V. Asokan of Coimbatore, who was scornfully referred to as the village drunkard. He had four acres of land and a monthly income of Rs. 6000/ -. In 1993 he started off with 210 Deejay hybrid coconut plants. He now earns Rs. 32,000/- pm and has purchased 5 more acres of land. His children are educated and living in comfort. At another extreme is Mukudapathy of Thiruppur. He started using Deejay Hybrids in 1991. At that time he had 10 acres of land, which has now grown 10 times to 100 acres. He is now harvesting 97,000 coconuts a month and earning over Rupees Ten Lakhs per month. He attributes 80% of his success and wealth to his coconut plantation. How did Lobo and his Deejay Group transform the lives of thousands of marginal and middle level farmers? It is long story, dating back to 1983. That is when the Deejay Coconut Breeding Project was launched, under the able guidance of an UN Expert, Prof Anthony Davis. Today the enterprise has supplied over Twenty Lakh commercial coconut seedlings to farmers – resulting in high productivity, high performance and considerably enhanced income. Deejay was one of the first to computerize coconut production data, way back in 1981; and today has a data bank on the production history of over 20,000 coconut palm trees. It is this scientific and methodical approach that has reaped rich dividends; as the fruit of the research is directly benefitting the end user – the farmer. Deejay

16 June 2014

doesn’t just sell hybrid seedlings and forget about them. They have a dedicated team with literature and technical support for the farmers. Today Deejay has huge breeding plantations in Madurai and Ambur in Tamil Nadu, Bailur in Karnataka and Sanguem in Goa. Deejay, through is scientific research and data banks, was able to produce a hybrid variety of coconut palm now known as the Deejay Dwarf (see pic). Dwarf is something of a misnomer. It is only a comparative word, because coconut palms are usually very tall. By evolving a Dwarf variety (lesser height) the farmer is benefitted because it is easier for him to monitor his crop, as also to harvest it. Those familiar with agriculture will have heard of dwarf varieties of wheat that have shorter stalks and higher yield. The comparative chart of the Deejay Dwarf with regular tall palms (see box) is an eye –opener. While a regular tree takes 6 years to flower, Deejay does it in just two years. Since the gestation period is considerably less, it means that the return on investment starts coming in much faster. Though the price of a Deejay seedling is 7 times that of a normal one, it is a small price to pay, considering the yield, and lower total investment. The nut yield per tree, besides being faster, is also much higher, and the amount of copra (dried coconut) per nut is almost double. The yield of Tender Coconut Water (TCW) is 2 ½ times more than the normal, the nut yield per hectare (ha) is three times more, the copra yield is 6 times more and the coconut oil yield is 5 times more. The net profit over 50 years is a staggering eight times more! So isn’t the Deejay coconut an agricultural marvel, and the man behind it truly the king of coconuts? Lobo feels that the coconut has been under rated for too long, even in Kerala, which actually means the land of the coconut (Keralam). There are three varieties of coconut palms today – those grown for nuts, oil or TCW. Deejay has evolved a particular hybrid that produces over 700 ml of TCW per nut. Research on oil production is underway, to evolve a hybrid that would produce 10 tonnes of coconut oil per

ha. Wonders never cease. The British took our indentured labour to work in the sugar cane fields in the West Indies, the BY CHHOTEBHAI Fiji Islands, Singapore and South Africa. But they didn’t stumble on a big secret, that the palm tree actually produces more sugar than cane. Lobo says that cane, which has an annual crop, produces 5 to 8 tonnes per ha per annum. But the Deejay hybrid produces 52.5 tonnes per ha per annum as the sap can be extracted for 300 days per annum. Where was this genius all this time? It seems too good to be true! Other than nuts, copra, oil, TCW and sugar, this wonder tree’s by products have several other uses. The wood is denser than teak and makes excellent rafters. Coir was of course being used for ropes and floor matting. But China is now picking it all up to make interiors for automobiles, which do not emit toxic gases like petroleumbased products. Even the lowly pith, a spongy brown and fluffy substance, mountains of which covered the countryside, is now being compressed into blocks and exported. Because of its high water absorption levels it is now being used extensively in horticulture, floriculture, etc. Northerners like me aren’t enamoured of coconut oil. But Lobo refers to Dr Mary Enig, an American nutritionist. She has been up in arms against the huge lobbies for corn, soya and groundnut oil in the U.S. There are two types of coconut oil – Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) that is less viscous and colourless. It is extracted from fresh coconuts. Enig says that VCO is even healthier than Virgin Olive Oil. Mediterraneans beware; the Indians are coming, with their VCO. The regular coconut oil (CNO) is that which is extracted from the dried kernels, the copra. But VCO with it rich source of Lauric acid is the healthiest oil, says Enig. From the nutrition angle, TCW is the healthiest drink because of its natural electrolytes, minerals and potas(Contd.. on p. 16)

The King Of Good Nuts (Contd.. from p. 15) sium. In like manner palm sugar is also healthier, as its glycemic index is just 35 as compared to 80 for cane sugar. All in all one would have to bow one’s head in wonder at the many attributes of the coconut tree. Small wonder then that even in North India, where coconuts don’t grow, it is used in all auspicious Hindu rituals. David J. Lobo has come a long way from the days when he had joined the Redemptorist congregation to be a priest. He calls them the 6 happiest years of his life. But he learnt the value of honesty and integrity in business from his father, Francis Xavier Lobo, a senior engineer in the railways. Despite hardships and set backs, especially in his earlier poultry business, David firmly believes that honesty is still the best policy. He has a word of advice for Christian youth who are always hankering after jobs and security. Business involves taking risks. He appeals to our youth “Get into business as your first choice. Only through business can you become an agent of change in a major way”. David is a committed Catholic. When I first met him in 1986, he was the Treasurer of the All India Catholic Union. Talking of the laity in the Catholic Church he emphatically states that their opinions just don’t count. Speaking of the Catering For Weddings, Birthdays, Communions, Christenings, and Other Functions

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hierarchy he says that they are lacking in love, humility and inclusiveness. Fear of damnation is still the driving force, and the laity, instead of experiencing the “glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21). actually lives in guilt and fear, so they become defeatists and losers. He thanks God “for the few dissenting voices among the lay people”. He feels that Vatican II’s wished for renewal is now sliding backwards. But he does set great hope in Pope Francis, depending “on how long he lives “! The pillar of strength alongside David is his equally dynamic wife Aloma (nee Cordeiro) whom he married in 1972. A doctor by profession, she made great sacrifices to support her husband and care for their first three children. Later God gifted three more to them, including Nisha (now 14), who was born with a congenital illness, Lamellar Icthyosis, where her skin dies and peels constantly. She was born without eyelids. Nisha, together with her proud and caring parents appeared on actor Amir Khan’s hugely popular TV show “Satyamev Jayate”. It was the 6th episode, broadcast in June 2012. At that time Nisha did not even tell her school friends that she was shooting for Khan, lest they feel envious! That is why David and Aloma say that they “are the luckiest people to be privileged to have her in their lives”. Aloma herself headed the Central Government’s “Central Adoption Resources Authority”, New Delhi, and it was largely through her efforts that the Government made an amendment to the “Juvenile Justice Care and Maintenance Act 1990” that gave a legal right to all Indians, including Christians and Muslims, to adopt children. So the Lobos are life givers, not just to coconut farmers, but also to childless parents, and a beacon of hope for the Catholic laity of India. Truly David J. Lobo of the Deejay Group is not just he King of Good Coconuts, but the King of Hearts as well. The Ace is no longer up his sleeve, it is now out in the open for all to benefit from; for “a sale is not complete until the intended beneficiary receives the desired results”.

DO YOU KNOW?

What Is A Choir?

choir is a group of singers who perform together, with or without accompaniment from musical instruments. You may also hear a choir referred to as a chorus. Choirs around the world are incredibly varied, from casual secular groups which meet and perform periodically to highly organized church choirs featuring an array of very disciplined singers. Both secular and religious music is composed for the choir, and some choirs also adapt existing musical pieces for performance. Typically, a choir is led by a conductor, in much the same way that a conductor leads an orchestra. Singing in a choir isn't just a matter of opening your mouth and belting out tunes, either. The members of the choir have to be perfectly coordinated or the performance will sound “off,” although it may be difficult to pin down why the performance sounds wrong. A good choir is composed of people who sing together, perfectly on pitch, with voices and volume levels which complement each other.

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How To Stop Arguing?

ach relation in our life holds a great importance whether it’s with your mother, father, siblings, spouse, etc. We love them dearly and want a perfect healthy relationship with them. But sometimes, intentionally or unintentionally, we start arguing with them on petty issues. Also, in between the daily conversation, we involve ourselves in an argument. While healthy argument helps take important decision and makes people look at the other side of the coin (here situation), problem arises when the argument takes shape of a big fight. It brings to an end the peace and tranquility of the house. Also, unhealthy or aggressive argument spoils the sweetness of the relationship between the two. As such, all of us should indulge in ways wherein

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we can avoid arguing. However, this does not mean not voicing your opinion. It simply means that stating your view point in a decent manner and respecting others set beliefs and thoughts. Absence of argument makes way to happiness and peace. It also promotes healthy relationship. While generation gap is a major reason for argument, the cause of argument varies from relation to relation. To avoid the unpleasantness and nasty goingson that argument brings along with it, each of us should try not to argue. In the following lines, we have listed ways that would help you in learning the art of ‘how not to argue’.

Ways Of How Not To Argue Enhance your listening skills. It will make you less defensive and allow you to analyze the statement of other person deeply. You should listen to the other person with patience and give a logical approach to the same. Let the other person complete what he/she wants to say. Once he/she is done, give your feedback. This would allow both of you to lay forward your view point. However, make sure that whatever is said is logical and pertains to the present situation. Never think that you are always

right. If people have been correcting you time and again, know that there is some problem which lies inside you. Accept that you have a problem of arguing on small issues and work on it to exclude the same from your behavior. Accepting your weakness will strengthen your relationship. Also, ask them to help you come out of the problem. Inculcate understanding in yourself. Instead of thinking about your own issues, try to understand the other person’s views, feelings, state of mind, etc. This will help you to talk calmly and make the relationship a strong one. After understanding the other person, your approach will not be illogical or defensive. The feedback will be based on the feelings of both the people and not only yours. Introspect yourself and increase your self control power. Also, be aware of the place and people around before heading towards an argument. A couple must never involve in the argument in front of their children. It may have a bad impact on them. Respect each other to share great relationship. Similarly, indulging in a heated argument in a public place such as a mall or cinema hall would make people think of you as uncivilized. Be positive in your thinking. It will exclude negativity from inside and you will have a healthy approach towards any issue. If you have positive nature, you will never get involved in any kind of argument. Do not make excuses and be truthful. Improve yourself rather than giving explanation all the time.

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Smile in Each Moment

Banana Banana is a boon to humanity because of its low cost and rich contents of nutrients. The fruit is highly beneficial, as it contains vitamins A, B and C. Bananas have no fat and it helps in maintaining a healthy mind. The fibre content in bananas help in the regularization of the functions of the intestines. Bananas also act as anti-oxidant and increases haemoglobin in the blood. Brain ability increases as bananas have lots of potassium. I eat six bananas a day. What about you? Start eating a banana today, as it increases your weight too.

—Jubel D'Cruz, Dombivili

There’s a tendency to get caught up in the tasks of our day. The urgency the distractions and we forget to smile. In the rush of the day, the stress of wanting things to happen a certain way, we lose the enjoyment of each moment. In every moment, there’s the capacity for happiness. It’s not that we need to be ecstatic, full of pleasure, excited or even joyous each and every second of the day. Who needs that kind of pressure? And it’s not that we can never feel sadness or anger or stress. It’s that we can feel happiness, in some form, any moment we like, even in the midst of stress or sadness. And it’s exceedingly simple. We just need to remember to smile. You can smile in each and every moment. OK, maybe you don’t need a smile on your face all day long — your cheeks will feel tired. But we can smile more, and in between physical smiles, we can have an internal smile for our soul.

Try an internal smile now: have a calm, unsmiling face, but think of the miracle of this moment, and find a thought to smile about. Feel the smiling feeling inside. Isn’t that amazing? You’ll forget to smile in some moments, because your mind gets caught up in stories about the past, stresses about what might happen in the future. None of this is happening right now — it’s just movies playing in our heads. Instead, remind yourself of what’s happening right now, and see the beauty in it, see the reason to smile. And then smile, externally and internally. This changes your day, because now instead of being caught up in stress and stories, we are present, and happy. We can be content with every moment we spend. It changes your life, because too often we miss the smile-ability of life when we are not paying attention to inner voice.

(Contd.. from p. 4) children reported one or more forms of sexual abuse. This can’t possibly, given low levels of internet access, be linked to online porn.[4] We must try and identify correctly the cause of a problem. Dowry practice is prevalent in all corners of the country, but can it be said that it is because of pornography. Of late, it has become a fashion to put blame on those which are not even remotely related to the issue. The article in no way tries to defend or oppose porn or its many avatars. It tries to highlight the way in which we deal with any issue of concern. Terms like development of scientific temper, objectivity, and rationality have been reduced to purely academic discussions and conversations, and every vice is blamed on the west. Freedom has come to be understood in a very narrow sense of the term and moral policing is exercised as a fundamental right in the country. The tendency to prescribe remedy without understanding the root of the problem is posing serious challenges to the society at large. To promote porn or not is altogether a different question. Our decisions and choices should be guided by rationality and not by any unscientific approach.

16 June 2014

Inspiration!

Live Life on Your own terms

it’s the right choice, you are the only one who will live the consequences. If the stock falls and you lose a lot of money, you are the one that will have to live with the fact that you didn’t follow your inner call. When people give you their suggestions or even orders, there

f you make the choice to create positive changes, FOR YOURSELF, that is all that matters. You don’t need anyone’s approval, validation, or support, and most of the time, you really should avoid it. If you want to live a life that is inspiring, fun, adventurous and meaningful, it’s going to entail letting go of your need for approval from others. Here are reasons why others’ approval shouldn’t matter to your life: 1. It’s Not Their Life It’s as simple as that. This is your life to live. At the end of the day you are the only person who needs to approve of your choices. Besides, it’s not their life. They have their own things to focus on and worry about. You can even remind them to mind their own business and concentrate on their own life, while you focus on yours. 2. They Don’t Know What’s Best For You

else, can be the worst thing for you. What one person considers garbage can be another person’s treasure. We are all so unique, thus, only you know what is right for you.

is no risk for them. They don’t have to live with your choices—but you do.

4. Be Independent Of The Good Opinions of Others

It’s common to want and seek the approval of others, however this can leave us in a terrible position where we lose trust in ourselves. The more you seek approval of others, the less confidence you will have in your ability to make your own decisions.

Nobody will ever be as invested in your life as you. Only you know what is best for you, and that entails learning from your own choices. The only way you will ever truly learn is through making your own decisions, taking full responsibility for them, and that way if you do fail, at least you can learn from it wholeheartedly, as opposed to blame-shifting it onto somebody else. If you want to live a meaningful and fulfilled life, you have to own your choices and learn from them. This will build your character and help you grow.

Often the people who give you their opinions love you and have your best interest at heart. They are telling you what they believe is best for you. They have good intentions and thus their opinion is essentially good, since they are telling you what they believe is right. However, even if their opinions are coming from a good place, you still need to be independent of them. Inside all of us is a deep intuitive knowing that gives us solid information on what is best for us. When you listen to that deep knowing, you will feel a sense of joy, expansion, and deep peace

3. What’s Right For Someone Else May Be Completely Wrong For You

5. You’re The One Stuck With The End Result

It’s important to recognize that someone’s opinion is often based on what they would do. This alone is the problem. What is best for somebody

In life, you are the one stuck with the consequences of your decisions. For example, if someone suggests you buy some stocks, but you just don’t feel like

16 June 2014

7. Trust Your Ability To Make Decisions

10. The Hard Truth: It’s Impossible To Please Everybody The fact is some people just won’t like you, and some people will never approve of what you do. So you might as well get on with what you feel is right. Whether it’s regarding what you are wearing, a business decision, or career decision, not everyone you know— from family to clients and co-workers— will approve of what you choose. It’s just the hard truth. But that’s part of the saving grace in all of this. Simply knowing this gives us the freedom to act honestly in our lives. At the very least, you’ll be able to sleep at night with peace, knowing that you approve of and are pleased with your choices.

MATRIMONIALS MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’ 10”, Wt. 70 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.S. in USA, Engg. in Mumbai , working as a IT Executive in USA. Contact email : marymeneze@gmail.com / joshuajohn @gmail.com OR9867974086 (Regd. No. 6118) AHMEDABAD : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 28 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 68 kgs, fair and slim, Edn. B.Com., well settled. Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : neillaw123@yahoo.co.in (Regd. No. 6116) MUMBAI : Parents of Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, DOB 1974, 5’ 9”, P.hD (U.S.A.), working in US, seeks alliance from R.C. spinster. Send details and recent full size photograph to : dfr472121@gmail.com (Regd. No. 5950) MUMBAI : East Indian Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 35 years, Ht. 5' 61/ ”, Wt. 62 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. 2 B.Com., PGDBA, working as a Sap Consultant. Contact email : clyntp@gmail.com OR 28957760 (Regd. No. 6085) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Divorcee, aged 30 years, Ht. 6’ 1”, Wt. 85 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Diploma in Civil Engineering. Position : C.E.O. in family business. Contact email : dereck.sequeira@gmail.com OR 9225102685 (Regd. No. 6074) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 41 years, Ht. 5’7”, Wt. 75 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com. NIIT, working as a Asso. Consul. Contact email : ps11823kjv@gmail.com OR 9819883383 (Regd. No. 6069) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’ 9”, Well Built, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., M.A. Position : Vice President. Contact email : rodriguesjohann@hotmail.com OR 9819268548 (Regd. No. 6066)

MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 41 years, Ht. 6’, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC working as a Sr. Executive. Contact email : mariol@rediffmail.com OR 9930187005 (Regd. No. 6065) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 43 years, Ht. 5’ 1”, Wt. 52 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. SSC + 2 years ITI, in Draughtmanship (Mechanical), working as a Cad Draughtsman. Contact email : saviodias10@gmail.com OR 9869619286 (Regd. No. 6056) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Divorcee, aged 65 years, looks much younger to his age, and good health, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish complexion, Edn. SSC., Retired, well settled No issue. Seeks a suitable match aged below 40 years widow or Divorcee having one child. Contact email : francisfernandes346@yahoo.in OR 9820432560 (Regd. No. 6048) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’ 11”, Wt. 65 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as an Executive in Financial Bank. Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : wilfredseq@hotmail.com OR 9833574763 / 9820714172 (Regd. No. 6041) MUMBAI : Mangaloren Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 30 years, Ht. 6’, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com + IATA working as a Manager for Emirates in Dubai Seeks a humble, godfearing, educated girl. Ht. above 5’ 5”, age below 27 years.Contact email : rebeccasald@gmail.com OR 9619639323 / 26372210 (Regd. No. 6040) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic

Members are requested to inform us when they are settled, so that publication of their details can be discontinued.

Bachelor, aged 28 years, Ht. 5’ 11”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Working as Marine 2nd Engineer seeks a suitable match. Contact email : annalui19@yahoo.in OR 02224446040 (Regd. No. 6039) HYDERABAD : Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 10”, Wt. 75 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MBA, PGDM, working as a Sales Head in Abroad. Contact Email: michelle.dominica@mylan.in OR 8008001552. (Regd. No. 6024) MUMBAI : “I am a fun loving 38 years Goan R.C. Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 80 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., C.A., who believes in having a balance between work and personal life. Fond of music, travelling and the best way for me to unwind is through dance (Latin Style). I am currently working for a reputed MNC for last 5 years. Though I drink socially and occasionally, smoking is a strict-no. Seeking alliance with a simple, godfearing girl with a good family background. Eventually, I hope to see myself not just as my partner’ partner but my partner’s Best Friend forever!” Contact email : goansearch@yahoo.com OR 9833761339 (Regd. No. 5994) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’9”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., + Dip. in Management, working as a Manager in Private Sector. Contact email : noelpinto@hotmailcom OR 9029462583 (Regd. No. 5969) Address your replies to :

Regd. No. ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

To Place Your Matrimonial Advertisement Call: 2269 3578 OR 2265 4924 16 June 2014

MATRIMONIALS MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Parents seek alliance for their spinster daughter, 25 years, Post Graduation in Clinical Counseling, working in a Reputed Hospital, 5’ 3” fair and pretty, God fearing and family oriented, from professionally qualified RC Mangalorean Bachelors. Kindly reply with latest photo to email : lifepartner89@yahoo.in OR Mob.: 9892286077 MUMBAI : East Indian Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 55 kgs Fair Complexion, Beautiful, Edn. MSc (statistics), working as a Sr. Marketing Executive. Seeks a well settled, understanding bachelor below 33 years. Contacat email : perkim12@gmail.com OR 9833989747 (Regd. No. 6117) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 31 years. Ht. 5’ 2”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC, working as a Chef in Qatar. Contact email : venitadsouza1986@ yahoo.co.in / jddsouza007@ gmail.com OR 9892071067 (Regd. No. 6115) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Fair Complexion, Edn. M.com, (Accounting) GNIIT, Working as an Accounts Executive. Seeks a Mangalorean educate and well settled boy below 30 years. Contact email : nishalobo88@gmail.com OR 26324478. (Regd. No. 6089) DUBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 37 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 41 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.A., working as a Secretary. Contact email : track_1976@yahoo.com OR 9821467722 (Regd. No. 6032) INDORE : Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 39 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 53 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. M.Com., well settled. Seeks a suitable match. Con-

Royal Christian Family Helps In Choosing The Right Life-Partner

Serving Since 33 Years 16 June 2014

tact email : seema_francis@rediffmail.com OR 09827011122 (Regd. No. 6114) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 26 years, Ht. 5’4”, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.D.S., (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) Dentist by profession. Contact email : drlynnalmeida@gmail.com OR 9004405758 (Regd. No. 6054) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 46 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 73 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a Audit Assistant. Contact s_gons@rediffmail.com / stephy_gons@yahoo.co.in OR 9819884257 (Regd. No. 6027) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 4’ 7”, Wt. 48 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Sc., in H.Sc. Textile working as a Asst. Executive. Contact email : dmelloaurealia@gmail.com OR 9819569874 (Regd. No. 6026) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Spinster, aged 24 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 58 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.A., working for a Multinational Company. Contact email : denverr89@gmail.com (Regd. No. 6025) MUMBAI : RC Divorcee, aged 49 years. Ht. 5’ 7”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Sc., working as a Sr. Govt. Officer. Contact Email : reenaahuja2012@ gmail.com (Regd. No. 6023) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Spinster, aged 28 years. Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 45 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.E. Computer, working as a I.T. Consultant. Seeks an educated Mangalorean boy from good family background. Contact : 8879179796 or Email : ajd19@yahoo.co.in (Regd. No. 6018) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 28 years. Ht. 5’ 3”, medium built, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC, working as a Receptionist. Contact email : lumira_rodrigues@ rediffmail.com OR 9821025069 (Regd. No. 6016) MUMBAI : Tamilian RC Spinster aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 7”, Average built, Tan Complexion, Edn. Dip. in Hotel Man-

agement, Seeks a guitable match. Contact email : salexander172@gmail.com OR 9158622614 (Regd. No. 6013) MUMBAI : RC Spinster, aged 24 years, Ht. 5’1”, Wt. 48 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., (Banking & Insurance) working as a Consultant. Contact email : rosemarybharda@yahoo.com OR 9224780162 (Regd. No. 6053) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 50 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., Dip. in 3D animation, working. Contact email : nisha.britto@gmail.com OR 9967366434 (Regd. No. 6063) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 70 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. BMS/ MBA-HR, Position : Sr. HR. Executive. Contact email : karenzone@gmail.com OR 9820189797 (Regd. No. 6083) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R.C. Spinster, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’, Wt. 54 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.A.,B.Ed., ADCSSAA, Teacher by profession. Contact Email: mathias.reshma@gmail.com / reshma_mathias@rediffmail.com OR 9757289026 (Regd. No. 6043) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 36 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 45 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. A.A. Degree from US, Presently in Mumbai working for a reputed company. Contact email : perpetual4u2012@yahoo.in OR 28933931 (Regd. No. 6031) Address your replies to :

Regd. No. ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

Please renew your membership at lease a month in advance before its expiration date. 21

Saint Anthony Of Padua Venerated Worldwide

he name Saint Anthony for Catho lics has been a legacy to inspire preachers, teachers, scholars and the laity, who turn to him in prayers for intercessions across the world. Recently, Saint Anthony won special attention from Pope emeritus Benedict XVI when his Holiness spoke about the saint. “Anthony was the first generation of the Friars Minor”, said the pontiff, adding “ he is one of the most popular saints in the whole Catholic Church. Venerated not only in Padua, where a splendid basilica has been built which contains his mortal remains, but also throughout the world.” There is so much to tell about Saint Anthony : He was a great theologian. He was also a contemplative. Anthony had formed a spiritual brotherhood with Francis of Assisi. Anthony was an extraordinary teacher and preacher of theological studies. The Bishop of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI also mentioned that Anthony put together sermons for the Franciscan order…At first he joined the Augustinian Friars and dedicated himself to the study of the Bible and of the Church Fathers, receiving the theological knowledge that was to enrich the ideas in his teaching and preaching activities.” Born in Lisbon, Portugal around 1195, his name was Fernando Bulhom. Fernando came from a rich family of Portuguese nobility. One day Fernando observed the bodies of five martyrs being carried through the streets of a small village in Coimbra. The slain missionaries had been to North Africa, to a place called Morocco. They had preached the Gospel, were arrested, tortured and brutally killed. Christian merchants had taken the bodies to Coimbra. The murdered martyrs were Franciscan Friars. Fernando Bulhom was seized by the moment. His heart burned with the “inner Call” to be a missionary. At the age of 15 he joined the Augustinian Order. Two years later he entered the monastery of Santa Croce in Coimbra.

BY MELVYN BROWN

For nine years he studied Scripture and theology. At this time he was an ordained priest. Fernando changed his name to Anthony. He left the Augustinians and joined the Franciscans in 1220 to be a missionary. In that year he sailed for Morocco. His dream to preach the gospel in a foreign land was not to be. On board the ship Anthony took seriously ill. He was compelled to return. On the journey back the ship was thrown off course and Anthony was shipwrecked on the coast of Italy. He stayed with the Franciscans at Messina. In May 1221 he went to Assisi. This was the year when the Fourth General Chapter of the Franciscans was held. Francis of Assisi heard of Anthony being dynamic and vibrant as a preacher. After listening to Anthony’s sermon Francis was convinced of Anthony’s gift for preaching and teaching. Within a short span of time Francis appointed Anthony to preach the Gospel throughout Italy. He was also appointed lector in theology to the Franciscans – this was a first in Franciscan history. Anthony travelled to France and to Northern Italy, making over four hundred trips. Thousands packed churches wherever he preached. Sud-

denly, Anthony needed body-guards to protect him as people wanted to tear pieces of his habit to keep as relics. Anthony’s words were so powerful, one story says, fish lifted their heads above water to listen when he preached. In 1227 Anthony was elected Provincial of the Franciscans of Northern Italy. He travelled to Rome and preached a sermon in the presence of Pope Gregory IX. The Pontiff was in awe of the remarkable sermon. A few years later, by 1230 Anthony grew ill and all his energy spent in preaching made him weak. Death approached. Anthony passed away June 13, 1231 on the outskirts of Padua. Pope Gregory described Anthony as the “Ark of the Covenant”. After his death many miracles took place through his intercession. Thousands flocked to Padua in pilgrimage. One year after his death, Pope Gregory IX declared Anthony a Saint and June 13 became his Feast Day. In 1946 Venerable Pope Pius XII proclaimed Saint Anthony a “Doctor of the Church”. Pope emeritus Benedict XVI referred to the special feature of Franciscan theology as “Christocentrism.”

16 June 2014

Salesian appointed Scouts and Guides National Council Kolkata: Fr PX Francis Charuvila, a Salesian of Fr. Francis` achievements in scouting covers Don Bosco, of the Dimapur Province has been several States in the North East. He has started appointed member of the North East Region and led Scout troops in Meghalaya, Nagaland Development sub-committee of the National and Manipur. He has also facilitated the training Council of the Bharat Scouts and Guides. The of Scouts, Guides, Scout Masters and Guide appointment for a three year term ending in Captains in all parts of North East India. As a 2016, which comes in the guise of an honour and Youth Director in the diocese of Kohima and in responsibility for Fr. Francis, has been made by the Salesian province of Dimapur from 1995 to B.I. Nagarale, National Commissioner of Bharat 2004, he used Scouting as an efficient tool in Scouts and Guides. He is the first Catholic Priest youth ministry at various levels. Fr Francis Charuvila, to be inducted for serving the National Council in For the last four years Fr. Francis was the Vice this capacity. president of Bharat Scouts and Guides for the State of Manipur. Fr. Francis has had almost three decades of experience Fr. Francis` contribution to the Salesian Scout movewith the world wide Scouting Movement founded by Baden ment, especially by being involved in the Salesian style of Powell in 1907. He has been a Scout Master since 1978 ``Jamboree`` in India known as ``Boscoree``, is also of the immediately after completing his post-novitiate formation. He highest calibre. He has had the distinction of being the Camp underwent the basic Scout Master's training course in 1978 in Chief at the national Boscoree in Shillong in 2000 and the Chief Azimganj, West Bengal, and later followed it up with an ad- of the national Boscoree held in Dimapur, Nagaland in 2010. vanced course in 1981, and then completed the full Scout He is also a consultant for the organization of the next Boscoree Master's Training Programme by obtaining the Himalayan which will take place in Tanjore, T.N., towards the end of this Wood Badge (HWB) in 1992. year. Thereafter in order to become a qualified and certified Fr. Francis has trained over 20 batches of Scout Masters trainer of Scout Masters, he underwent the second level of for the Basic, Advanced and Wood Badge Courses. With the training, by completing the Assistant Leader Trainer (ALT) Award of the ``four beads`` as Leader Trainer, he comes into Course in 1995. Then in 2004 he gained the highest level of the category of Scout commissioners and is in the pool of certification for trainers in India by obtaining the Leader Trainer National Scout Trainers. (LT) Course certificate. Currently Fr Francis is the only Leader Fr. Francis with his Salesian identity sees great possibiliTrainer in the State of Manipur. ties in working as a member of the national Council.

The Secular Citizen and Divo Weekly Friendly Group Organising

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WESTERN EUROPE O EASTERN EUROPE O HOLY LAND All important sights and pilgrimage centres

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Printed and Published by Lawrence Coelho at The Secular Citizen, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Harihar Nivas, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Tel.: 2269 3578, 2265 4924 16 June 2014 Printers: The Secular Citizen, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Editor : Philip Myaboo